Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion (BRVO) Treatment

With branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), vision usually worsens due to swelling of the macula. The main goal of treatment is to dry up the retina. In most cases, medication or laser help reduce fluid and swelling.

Your ophthalmologist may also choose to treat your BRVO with medication injections in the eye. The medicine can help reduce the swelling of the macula. These injections are a type of medicine called “anti-VEGF.” They can improve vision in about 1 of 2 patients who take them. Injections need to be given regularly for one to two years for the benefit to last.

Your ophthalmologist may do a form of laser surgery called focal laser treatment. A laser is used to make tiny burns to areas around the macula. This helps stop fluid from leaking from the vessels.

While most people see some improvement in their vision, some people won’t have any improvement.

For those who don’t show improvement with anti-VEGF, steroid injections or steroid implants may be an option. The steroid implant can improve vision in close to a third of people with BRVO.